Friction-clutch.



S. W. RHOADS.

FRICTION CLUTCH.

APPLICATION FILED 0CT.23. 1914.

1,155,555. Patented Oct. 12, 1915.

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7 Specification of Letters Patent.

asm filed Goteber 23 .1914a serial 30.868243.

T0 aZZw/wmit mag concern." I o I Be it known that'I, SAMUEL W. Rnonn's, a citizen of theUnited States, residing at Farmington, in the county of Fulton and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Friction- Clutches,of which the following is a speciiication. p a p My invention relates to improvements in friction pulley clutches.

The object of my invention is to provide an improved form of pulley, clutch employ.- ing thesimplest means possible for clutching and unclutching the pulley to the shaft, and at the same time facilitatingtheir ready release, and preventing centrifugal action from throwing the clutchmembersinto con tact with the pulley surface when. unclutched. I 1

My invention consists mainly in. the provision of clutch members or shoes supported in a relation tothe surface to be clutched, that the shifting of the latter about axes of support will cause them'to be thrown outwardly to'clutch and inwardly toward the driving shaft to unclutch; spring tension means for holding the clutchshoes normally out of engagementwith the surface to be clutched and actuating means to cause them to be thrown outwardly and in impingement with said clutch surface.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, Figure 1 is a front elevation of the device; Fig. 2 is a sectional view ofthe same on the line c1/a of Fig. 1, and similarly, Fig. 3 is a sectional view on the line ?)-b of Fig. 1, designed to show the clutch members out of engagement; Fig. 4 is a sectional view designed to show the clutch members in engagement; Fig. 5 is a detail perspective view of one of the clutch shoes; Fig. 6 is a front view of the shoe supporting disk; Fig. 7 is a sectional view of the same, and Fig. 8 is a detail perspective view of a lever or shifting arm. I

I am aware that heretofore clutches have been produced employing clutch shoes,'but am not aware of any clutch shoe having been employed in which the clutch action is effected through the eccentric action of the same to cause it to move as a body into different concentric circles for effecting the uniform bearing of its entire surface upon the surface to be clutched; And therefore, it is to this particular feature of improvement that my invention is directedi Also, my invention involvescertain details for effecting such action thatareembraced therein.

Referrmgto thedraw1ngs,2 indicates a rotatable ordrlve shaft.

. Sis a'disk having sleeved portion adapt- U ed-to' be secured to the shaft.

5 is spacing ring and 6 is a set screw adaptedlto fix the position of ring 5 and to secures'leeve portion of disk3 to shaft 2.

7 is a drum member provided with an upraeenteu Oct. 12, leis;

wardly projecting annular flange 8, the inner surface .of the latter providing a friction surface adapted to be engaged by "the gripping or clutching elements of the clutch mechanism.

9 are clutch shoes, the outer surfaces of which are concentric with the interior s'ur face of flange 5 of drum wheel 7, the rear ends of each of said clutch shoes being formed with an interior-1y extending arm portion 10, the said arm extending in a di' rection slightly rearwardly of the rear ends of said clutch shoes. And each of said arms 10 is provided with suitable openings as 11 for the insertion of a pivoting bolt 12, there being openings 11 in the disk '3 to secure the bolts 12. These bolts are for the clutch shoes and also for the levers 18, the outer ends of the latter-being turned and extended in position to contact with the forward ends ot-clutch shoes 9 and are turned outwardly to provide greater surface contact. The inner ends of said levers extend into normal proximity to shaft 2, and their outer ends are similarly turned and extended for the purpose of greater surface contact with a cone member.

1 1 are spring members engaged at one end with lugs 15 on shoes 9 and at their other extremities with studs or pins 16 on disk 3, these springs serving to hold said shoes against centrifugal action when they are unclutched and to react against clutching when the clutch members are released.

17 refers generally to a shifting member loose on shaft 2 and provided with a circumferentially grooved portion 18 adapted to receive the fingers of a forked lever 19, the latter pivoted as at 20 to a suitable support and is adapted to shift member 17 lengthwise of shaft 2.

' 21 is'a coneshaped member upon member I 17, and is designed at times to engage with the inner ends of levers 12 to shift them radially from shaft 2 for the purpose of shifting shoes v9 about their turning center upon pivot bolts 12' to efiect the eccentric action, resulting in the throwing of said clutch members into engagement with the V friction-surface of drum 'wheel 7, to effect the turning of the latter. 'A reverse move ment ofmemberil9 willcause a withdrawal of the cone member 21 and a corresponding release of: levers 13 and springs'l l acting will result in the clutch members 9 being 10 withdrawn from engagement'with the clutch surface of said. drum wheel 7.

Theoperation of the clutch is as follows: The parts of the service being disposed substantiallyas disclosed in Fig. 2, the operator moving 'lever19 tothe right, moving member 17 toward the clutch, will cause the. 1 cone member 21 thereof to engage the inner ends of levers 1-8, forcing themapart, causing the outer ends of said levers to'swing clutch shoes 9 upon their pivot supports,

and causlng the clutch surface thereof to en I 7 said brake shoes out of engagement with the clutch surface of-drum wheel 7, thus permitting the latter to come to rest.

While I have shown only two clutch shoes in the disclosed combination, I may use'a greater number, if desired, and if so, will increase the number of shifting levers, thus carrylng out the purposes and functions of IllYlllVGIltlOIl in the same manner and to the same effect. 7

n I have disclosed herein-my preferred form r of embodiment of my invention; however,

I do not desire to be limited to the details I of construction herein shown but claim all forms thereof that fall within the principle herein disclosed. p Whatl claimisz 7 Ina device ofthe class described, a shaft,

a drum member rotatable at times in 0011- neotion with said shaft, a c'arryingfdisk rigidly connected upon said shaft',a:plurality of clutch shoe members eccentrically pivoted to said carrying disk, pivot pins for the clutch shoes, their'friction surfaces concentrio with the friction surface of the drum member, spring members connected with'the disk and with each of said clutch shoes for holding the latter normally out of frictional contact with the drum member, lever mem bers pivoted intermediate their ends upon the'pivot pins for the clutch shoes,said lever members provided with portions at their outer 'ends to engage the free endsof the clutch'shoes, and their inner ends extending into proximity to'the shaft, a shiftable member on the shaft provided with a coneportion adapted to engage and shift the lever members to effect the movement :of theclutch" shoes in contact with the drum member and a a suitable lever'for Vmoving saidshiftable member lengthwise of'said shaft.

In testimony whereof I have afiiXed my signature in presence of two witnesses.

Witnesses: V r p p JOHN'P-'1 IAR PER, "JAMns C. COWSER.

Copies ofithis patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

7 Washington, I); G.

SAMUEL RHOADS. 

